Why do people put lanyards on their knives?

[BJE]

I was wandering why people put large lanyards on their knives except for decoration? What are the practical purposes? I personaly don't like to have a lanyard on my knife, it gets in my way (just my oppinion though). Does it ever get in your way but you leave it on there because it looks pretty, or does it help more than hurt? I like to wrap my fixed blades in paracord, but it usually comes off, any suggestions? I have tried dipping the finished handle in hot wax, but the wax comes off followed by the cord shortly thereafter. Just curious.

 

[Guyon]

http://bill-hay.com/Lanyard.htm

 

[Esav Benyamin]

Purpose Of Lanyard ?

 

[BJE]

I have always seen the uses for fixed blades, but I was wandering about folders (guess I forgot to mention it). Thanks for the links though.

 

[Band-aid]

i use a lanyard to keep my knives. learned the hard way to just put up with it being there as that is far easier to live with than a lost knife. it depends on the knife though as to what kind of lanyard i use. most have a loop that is just big enough to hang the knife from my wrist, while others are tied off to me with a few feet of 550 cord. its one of those aquired tastes because at first it was very much in the way, but now its just a natural part of my knives. like a sling on a rifle.

 

[sog]

The above and or tactical purposes it is very useful for clearing the air.

 

[a223cat]

The above and or tactical purposes it is very useful for clearing the air.

Im sorry sog, I dont understand what you said. Can you say it another way? How do you 'clear the air' with a lanyard?

 

[EmsRescueGuy]

If the knife is a tip-up type carry a short thick lanyard can be an aid to draw. simply grip it with the pinky and pull the knife this can be a smooth draw with practice. I use a short piece of chord with a "Monkey's Fist" knot on the end.

 

[Guyon]

This type of pic is what I was looking for:

It's how I use most of my lanyards.

 

[Bumppo]

I also use a Monkeys fist for my lanyard. I tie it on the end of a modified hangman's noose at varying lengths for different knives and purposes. for instance, a short lanyard on a chopper allows me to extend the length of the handle for leverage. The monkey fist keeps the knife from launching out of my hand. For stabbing and prying, I use a handle length lanyard with the monkey fist up towards the hilt, helps prevent my hand from sliding forward on the blade on impact. Two and a half times the length of the handle gives me a long enough lanyard to wrap around my hand if I am chopping and need a more secure grip. That way, I am not tied into the knife as I would be with a loop. I don't use that much though, as then the lanyard is truly long and can get cumbersome. I will try to see if I can get a picture on here.
Originally, back in Boy scouts almost forty years ago, each of us in the troop designed our own lanyards with different colors and/or knots, to tell each others knives apart. I kept the same design all this time, and it is kind of a signature now. A good memory talisman.

 

[Scott Dog]

Use mine on my Sebbies to make it easy to draw out of the pocket.

 

[a223cat]

and they can look cool too!

 

[longbeachguy]

I use them cuz they're fun to make and they're perty.

 

[mauiblue]

Hey Bumppo, could you kindly post a few photos of the monkey's fist tied on the endo of a modified hangm's noose? I've been having fun making a few monkey's fists but I don't know how to end it. Your idea sounds interesting.

I also use a Monkeys fist for my lanyard. I tie it on the end of a modified hangman's noose at varying lengths for different knives and purposes. for instance, a short lanyard on a chopper allows me to extend the length of the handle for leverage. The monkey fist keeps the knife from launching out of my hand. For stabbing and prying, I use a handle length lanyard with the monkey fist up towards the hilt, helps prevent my hand from sliding forward on the blade on impact. Two and a half times the length of the handle gives me a long enough lanyard to wrap around my hand if I am chopping and need a more secure grip. That way, I am not tied into the knife as I would be with a loop. I don't use that much though, as then the lanyard is truly long and can get cumbersome. I will try to see if I can get a picture on here.
Originally, back in Boy scouts almost forty years ago, each of us in the troop designed our own lanyards with different colors and/or knots, to tell each others knives apart. I kept the same design all this time, and it is kind of a signature now. A good memory talisman.

 

[Artfully Martial]

I like lanyards on my small knives. I carry the little knives, like my urban shark, loose in my pocket pretty often, and the lanyard makes it easy to find in the pocket and to orient.

 

[CHAINS]

I can't make a proper monkey fist knot to save my life.I need to find some Boy Scouts(OOPs that almost sounds perverted).

 

[OilMan]

If the knife is a tip-up type carry a short thick lanyard can be an aid to draw. simply grip it with the pinky and pull the knife this can be a smooth draw with practice. I use a short piece of chord with a "Monkey's Fist" knot on the end.

+1. I always have my pinky around my lanyard when I'm just standing around too although it looks casual to someone who doesn't know what to look for. That way you can be walking out of a mall with someone weird following you or somesuch and just look like your hand is at the top of your pocket instead of ready to defend yourself.

ps. I'm not a mall ninja but I did sleep at a Hilton Express last night.

 

[rnr]

I can't make a proper monkey fist knot to save my life.I need to find some Boy Scouts(OOPs that almost sounds perverted).

http://www.realknots.com/knots/faqknot.htm

I printed this out and refer to it everytime I make a MF. I used it to teach the Scouts I work with, too. It's the easiest instruction I've found.

 

[darklight943]

I use 'box' lanyards mostly on my SAKs - they don't have a pocket clip and find their way deep in my pocket. The lanyard makes it easier for me to retrieve my knife. I also tried, for a while, a stubbie box type lanyard on my FRN Meadowlark, because the knife handle was just a hair short in my grip - the lanyard compensated for this. I finally cut off the lanyard on the 'lark as it was creating a bulge in the bottom of my shirt.

 

[sog]

Im sorry sog, I dont understand what you said. Can you say it another way? How do you 'clear the air' with a lanyard?

In a self-defense situation, I'll let it hang off an index finger if attacted and grip it tight. Then I'll swing it about me in the air and it should keep attackers at bay. Useful with almost any weapon.